Placeholder discount increase?

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

I prefer booking this way vs. VGT because I'd rather choose my own cabin and if you book early and have secured early dining,

At some point, the value of early dining and room selection can only take you so far. If you're comparing 10% placeholder to 30% GTY, maybe you suck it up and do late dining. But bumping the placeholder to 20-25% is definitely going to make staying with your original booking more appealing.

 

[holula]

At some point, the value of early dining and room selection can only take you so far. If you're comparing 10% placeholder to 30% GTY, maybe you suck it up and do late dining. But bumping the placeholder to 20-25% is definitely going to make staying with your original booking more appealing.

I was thinking I wasn’t going to get more placeholders since the *GT rates have been so good recently but with the bigger discount its definitely making me rethink that.

 

[DCL58]

This new discount is making me think of booking the Treasure for the fall instead of the fantasy. Booking 2 verandah cabins on the treasure can be really pricey - makes it much more appealing with this discount. And we will get to book the excursions we want - our favorite ones always book up before VGT rates are announced.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

At some point, the value of early dining and room selection can only take you so far. If you're comparing 10% placeholder to 30% GTY, maybe you suck it up and do late dining. But bumping the placeholder to 20-25% is definitely going to make staying with your original booking more appealing.

Exactly. I’d much rather keep my original res intact but it’s not worth keeping it if offered $2000 off by booking VGT.

With DCL increasing the value of a placeholder, I still get 25% off and my res stays the same. I wonder if they will still offer VGT as it gets closer.

 

[SL6827]

Wonder when they might release the VGT rates for the Fall?

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Wonder when they might release the VGT rates for the Fall?

It used to be typically done after the FPDD but lately it's been much earlier. I would guess by the end of summer.

 

[DCL58]

Wonder when they might release the VGT rates for the Fall?

DCL just released the VGT rate for the 5/1 fantasy sailing. About 60 days in advance. I am still waiting for the VGT rate for the 5/6 fantasy cruise. The VGT rates for the Fantasy seem to come later and later and much closer to sail date.

 

[kevtlas]

I would love to get that email! Fingers crossed!

My thought exactly!

 

[SL6827]

DCL just released the VGT rate for the 5/1 fantasy sailing. About 60 days in advance. I am still waiting for the VGT rate for the 5/6 fantasy cruise. The VGT rates for the Fantasy seem to come later and later and much closer to sail date.

Ya. I think more people might be wanting to sail the Fantasy moreso than the Wish. Very telling and not something I bet Disney seen coming.

 

[Kwami]

Ya. I think more people might be wanting to sail the Fantasy moreso than the Wish. Very telling and not something I bet Disney seen coming.

Maybe, but a lot of Fantasy sailings have the improved placeholder discounts, too.

 

[leeleemurph]

I was super happy to get the email that my October sailings had been added to the increased placeholder discount list. Always nice to save some money! First time I've had money given back to me by DCL, I'm normally the one giving them all my money

 

[byanks7]

Someone on Reddit posted that their already booked cruise price went down dramatically and someone else replied that DCL increased the placeholder discount and made it retroactive. Has anyone else heard this? If it’s true, does it only apply to certain sailings?

I bought a placeholder and got 10% off the next cruise I booked. Maybe 6 months later, out of nowhere they gave me an extra 10% off that cruise. My TA said it was because they increased the % off they give off with the placeholder. So yes, it was retroactive and im not aware that it was tied to any specific cruise or ship

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

I bought a placeholder and got 10% off the next cruise I booked. Maybe 6 months later, out of nowhere they gave me an extra 10% off that cruise. My TA said it was because they increased the % off they give off with the placeholder. So yes, it was retroactive and im not aware that it was tied to any specific cruise or ship

There's a link upthread with the specific sailings that were included. Some got bumped to 25%, some to 20%, some got nothing. It's was definitely tied to your sailing, not just a general policy change.

 

[rxbeth]

Are these the dates that Disney is having the hardest time filling the ships? With the Fantasy, it's all 5-night cruises with the exception of like three of them. Maybe the 4-nighters are filling faster?

I would assume it's on itineraries they are having a harder time filling.

I feel like my Fantasy cruise in August is the ONLY one not getting the discount (August 23 sailing).

I always heard that as the cruise fills up, the cabin prices go up. Looking at the cruises before and after mine, the base price is almost $1000 more for the other cruises! Which would lead me to believe that my sailing isn't as full. So why isn't mine included in the additional discounts. Who knows?

 

[holula]

I would assume it's on itineraries they are having a harder time filling.

I feel like my Fantasy cruise in August is the ONLY one not getting the discount (August 23 sailing).

I always heard that as the cruise fills up, the cabin prices go up. Looking at the cruises before and after mine, the base price is almost $1000 more for the other cruises! Which would lead me to believe that my sailing isn't as full. So why isn't mine included in the additional discounts. Who knows?

This happened to me with my Treasure sailing, the cruises that were discounted were around $800 more than my cruise. The difference was that my cruise hasn’t really moved from opening day pricing and is fairly full at that price. The cruises after mine had a $600-700 higher opening day price, so even with 10% vs 20/25% there isn’t much difference in what I’m actually paying.

 

[DCL58]

Well, DCL releasing the 25% off discount for using a placeholder made me book a Treasure cruise for the fall now instead of waiting for the VGT rate to drop. All of my placeholders were in my name, so DCL was nice enough to move one to my husband’s name so we could book 2 cabins.

By booking now, we picked our cabin - 2 connecting extended verandah cabins in the aft. Plus we will get to book excursions early. And the price was pretty similar to waiting for a VGT rate.

I don’t always book a placeholder when we sail, but I will be going forward for the extra discounts.

 

[DCLMP]

At some point, the value of early dining and room selection can only take you so far. If you're comparing 10% placeholder to 30% GTY, maybe you suck it up and do late dining. But bumping the placeholder to 20-25% is definitely going to make staying with your original booking more appealing.

They used to offer OBC with the placeholder. I agree 10% isn't much of an incentive to book a placeholder. Royals onboard booking offers are even worse.

 

[DCLMP]

Well, DCL releasing the 25% off discount for using a placeholder made me book a Treasure cruise for the fall now instead of waiting for the VGT rate to drop. All of my placeholders were in my name, so DCL was nice enough to move one to my husband’s name so we could book 2 cabins.

By booking now, we picked our cabin - 2 connecting extended verandah cabins in the aft. Plus we will get to book excursions early. And the price was pretty similar to waiting for a VGT rate.

I don’t always book a placeholder when we sail, but I will be going forward for the extra discounts.

I wasn't planning on booking one next week, but you make a good point about booking one just in case they offer 25% off.